Hepatitis is an extremely serious inflammation of the liver that can be caused by a number of different viruses. Hepatitis is the overall condition, but it’s often subdivided into different forms, which are called hepatitis A, B, C, D, or E. The only difference between each form of hepatitis is the way that it spreads.
One of the most common forms of hepatitis is hepatitis C. It is a liver infection caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that between 70 to 80 percent of people with acute hepatitis C don’t show any symptoms. Even though this condition is now considered to be curable, it’s still important to be aware of the risks, because more often than not, it’s left untreated due to the fact that it doesn’t present any obvious symptoms.
Orawan Pattarawimonchai/ShutterstockIf symptoms do occur, they may include:
- Dark-colored urine
- Nausea
- Fever
- Fatigue
- Loss of appetite
- Jaundice
- Abdominal pain
- Joint pain
- Clay-colored feces
If you think you might be exhibiting some of the symptoms of hepatitis C, it’s crucial that you see your doctor as soon as possible. Despite the leaps and bounds made in treatment, the most significant problem remains detecting and diagnosing the infection due to the lack of symptoms.